Korilla Barbecue – A Spicy Mix of East and West in the East Village
By Julianne Clancy
The food truck scene is one of the hottest crazes to hit the culinary world within the past few years, and no where is the obsession with meals on wheels more evident than New York City. Yet even with an overcrowded market, the spicy Korean street food that Korilla Barbecue, of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race fame, has been serving up in their tiger striped truck for the past five years is still one of the classics. Which is why, after I heard that they just celebrated a one year anniversary at their new brick-and-mortar in the East Village, I had to give it a try.
As soon as we stepped in the door, the smells of freshly roasted scallions permeated the air, making us irresistibly hungry. Taking inspiration from the popularity of chains such as Chipotle, Korilla Barbecue’s storefront location is the perfect blend of casual cafeteria style food and gourmet cuisine. There are a few tables and chairs along the wall by the counter and a small seating area in the back, but no table service.
Instead, the food itself is assembled to order, allowing you to pick and choose what sort of delicacies you’d like, from spicy kimchis to sweet and savory seasonal specials that constantly change at the chef’s inspiration. Though the basic elements of the meals are the same as are served on the food truck, having a full kitchen and prep area allows for more freedom, so Korilla’s restaurant offers more options than their mobile home—and each of those options is well worth trying.
We had to start with the Kimcheese Fries, which are a spicy Asian spin on a traditional chili cheese fry. At first, I was skeptical of putting melted cheddar with kimchi and seaweed but the result was surprisingly tasty. The salt of the seaweed differed from that of the crisp waffle fries, while the creaminess of the cheese and the heat of the kimchi created a delicious balance of flavors on my tongue. The pico de gallo refreshed my palate after the decadent explosion of flavor that I’d just experienced.
Korilla Barbecue is perhaps most known for their Korean Burritos, the staple of their famous food truck. so we immediately dove into one of those. The pork was slightly sweet and gingery with a bit of soy while the kimchi was hot and funky, just how I like it. The biggest surprise of the burrito, though, was the purple rice, which not only made the burrito beautiful but had a wonderful earthy flavor akin to a brown rice. Between all the other flavors going on with the sauces, kimchi, beans, and pork, it was wonderfully simple and hearty.
We decided to try our sauces on the side, to really get a sense of them, and I’m happy we did. Korilla’s sauces are standout, and each is delicious in its own right. My two favorites were the KBBQ, which was a traditional barbecue sauce with a ton of amazing smokiness, and the K’lla sauce which was filled with a clean peppery heat that made me smile even as it made my eyes water.
The Rice Bowl was an excellent way to truly get an idea of Korilla’s brilliance with flavors beyond traditional barbecue. The bulgogi, a traditional Korean beef, was much less spicy than I expected, but wonderfully rich and flavorful, having been marinated overnight before cooking. The bean sprouts were crisp and slightly hot, while the green beans boasted wonderfully aromatic flavors of ginger and fish sauce. The mushrooms were the most mild part of the dish, a little bit sweet from the soy sauce and filled with umami goodness.
I had tried the B.K.F.R (bacon kimchi fried rice) before, at the Thrillist Barbecue and the Blues event at the New York Wine and Food Festival, and I have to say it was even better the second time around. A brilliant blend of fatty, salty, and spicy, this side kept me coming back for more even after I felt too full to move. All of these incredible flavors mingled beautifully in my mouth. It seemed each dish complimented each other perfectly while still asserting its own unique elements. The entire glorious experience was perfected by taking sips of Korilla’s homemade horchata (called Korchata, of course), a sweet rice milk drink that cooled my tongue and got me looking forward to my next bite with enthusiasm.
Having been familiar with their food, I was looking forward to trying the Korilla Barbecue experience in store—but Korilla exceeded even my high expectations. The food is casual enough to be comforting, spicy enough to be exciting, and inventive enough to be elegant and inspiring. With the menu constantly changing and the price point very reasonable, this is definitely the kind of place to visit again and again, even if their food truck happens to frequent your neighborhood.